Am Bathach

I needed to blow the cobwebs away after some 12 hour days working down in Yorkshire so I headed up Am Bathach in Glen Shiel, a lone corbett surrounded by Munros. The weather didn't look great as I set off but I had an expectant Dylan with me so I could hardly turn back without getting out the van.

I got about half way up the hill in good time, the weather looked good and Dylan was loving the deep snow although he looked a bit hurt when I laughed at him when he disappeared in a deep snow drift, until I did the same and his eyes lit up mischievously. I stopped to take a photo halfway up and Dylan took the opportunity to wrestle with both my gloves and fill them with snow. Fortunately I had a spare pair, unfortunately, my spares didn't match and were both left handed gloves so I spent the rest of the day with one cold hand.

We had a short steeper icy section just before we got to the start of the summit ridge where things got a bit easier for the 1.5km to the summit. Up on the ridge the snow was different, it was the type that you think will hold you until you transfer your weight on to your front leg, then, all of a sudden you drop another 6 inches. Hard work.

We sat down for lunch at the top, Dylan had eaten his lunch already so I had to split my sandwiches with him, thankfully he was off playing in the snow when I smuggled my KitKat out my bag. We headed down the northern side of the hill to the bealach, Dylan was sliding down as he chased the snow rolling down the hillside which looked like fun so I joined him. I covered about 200 metres height in a minute or so by sliding down on my bum with Dylan hot on my heels (and crashing into my back when I tried to curb my speed).

That was the walk done, or so I thought. I had a 30 minute slog through knee deep snow to reach a path, it wasn't all knee deep, I managed to find a few bits which where waist deep. Dylan took the sensible option and followed my footprints until we could make it back to the path along An Caorann Mor.

--Matt